Small Business Child Care Investment Act This bill deems certain nonprofit child care providers to be small business concerns so that they may participate in loan programs administered by the Small Business Administration.
Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or the Healthy MOM Act This bill expands health insurance coverage availability for pregnant individuals. It requires health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant individuals. The special enrollment period offered by an insurer or exchange must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the insurer or exchange. The special enrollment period offered by a group health plan must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the plan or is confirmed by a health care provider. The bill also makes pregnancy a qualifying life event for the purpose of enrolling in a federal employee health benefit plan. Additionally, a group health plan or health insurer that covers dependents must provide coverage for maternity care to all covered individuals. Any individual who is eligible for Medicaid and is, or becomes, pregnant maintains such eligibility for one year after the end of the pregnancy. The bill revises the range in which a state must establish a maximum level of family income for pregnant women and infants to be eligible for Medicaid. The upper limit of the range is eliminated and the lower limit is set to the level in place on January 1, 2014.
Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll as participating providers without undergoing additional screening requirements. Among other things, a qualifying provider must (1) serve minors, or adults whose condition began as a minor; and (2) have previously been screened for Medicare participation or for participation in the Medicaid program of the state in which the provider is located.
Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2021 This bill expands Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services. Currently, Medicare covers such services for individuals with diabetes or kidney disease under certain circumstances; such services must also be provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional pursuant to a physician referral. The bill extends coverage to individuals with other diseases and conditions, including obesity, eating disorders, cancer, and HIV/AIDS; such services may also be referred by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or (for eating disorders) a clinical psychologist.
Equity in Neuroscience and Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Act of 2021 or the ENACT Act of 2021 This bill sets out activities and requirements to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in research and clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Specifically, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) must establish and provide technical assistance to Alzheimer's research centers located in areas with higher concentrations of minority groups. These centers must establish diagnostic and treatment clinics designed to serve minority, rural, and other underserved populations; operate clinical trials; and carry out public outreach to encourage members of minority populations to participate in clinical trials and research. Additionally, the NIA must disseminate information to members of minority populations about participating in clinical trials and take other actions to enhance diversity with respect to the Alzheimer's research that it conducts or supports. The bill also directs the NIA to increase diversity among Alzheimer's researchers by encouraging the participation of individuals who are from groups that are underrepresented in clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.
Helping to Encourage Real Opportunities (HERO) for Youth Act of 2021 This bill modifies the work opportunity tax credit to (1) change the credit for summer youth employees to a credit for youth employees who will be employed for not more than 20 hours per week during any period between September 16 and April 30 in which the youth employee is attending any secondary school, (2) increase the amount of the credit for youth employees, and (3) expand the credit to include disconnected youth. The bill defines disconnected youth to include any individual who (1) is certified as having attained age 16 but not age 25 on the hiring date; and (2) has self-certified as not having regularly attended any secondary, technical, or post-secondary school during the 6-month period preceding the hiring date, has not been regularly employed during such period, and is not readily employable due to a lack of basic skills. The term also includes individuals who have been certified (1) as having attained age 16 but not age 21 on the hiring date, and (2) as eligible foster children in foster care during the 12-month period ending on the hiring date.
Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 20 21 This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants for programs that provide mentoring for children in foster care and children with experience in foster care.
Zero-Percent Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill establishes a temporary program through which the Department of Education (ED) must make interest-free refinancing loans to borrowers of federal student loans from August 1, 2021, through December 31, 2024. The bill requires ED to automatically refinance Federal Direct Loans and notify each borrower of the refinancing. Borrowers who have other types of eligible loans (i.e., Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and certain health profession and nursing loans) must apply for refinancing. ED and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must carry out a campaign to notify borrowers of these types of loans that they are eligible to apply for refinancing under the program.
Connecting America's Active Transportation System Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to carry out an active transportation investment program to provide competitive grants to state, local, and regional government entities, and Indian tribes to construct projects that connect walking and bicycling infrastructure within and between communities, metropolitan regions, or states. The bill sets forth various limitations on the use of funds by DOT, including that it must obligate at least 30% of funds to projects that connect people with public transportation, businesses, workplaces, schools, residences, recreation areas, and other community activity centers; set aside at least $3 million to provide planning grants for eligible entities; and set aside at least $2 million to cover the costs of administration, research, technical assistance, communications, and training activities under the program. The federal share of grants must not exceed 80% of the total project cost. However, DOT may increase the federal share to 100% for disadvantaged communities with a poverty rate of over 40%.
Savings Access For Escaping and Rebuilding Act of 2021 or the SAFER Act This bill allows penalty-free distributions from tax-exempt retirement plans for domestic abuse victims.
